By Odeisel

When you’ve been around for a few seasons, you not only get to see new groups and see how the music and the culture changes, but you also get to chart the growth and development of the new jacks that you have met along the way. Planet Ill first met Shinobi Ninja years ago. They were kind of a garage band meets Hip-Hop group with twin guitarists, a white male and a Black female rapper a drummer and a DJ. They were on the cutting edge of technology, with apps that connected people to their music far before the whole app craze got out of control.

We went to see them perform live and they were good; full of energy but perhaps lacking the little things that could take them over the top, including that subtle arrogant confidence that comes from when you KNOW you’re the shit. This time around, the ninjas are sharpening their swords, but in their music and their visual representation. The Planet was very happy to get an email from the guys with some new shit, a video for a song called Power Strangers.

They have refined their look to the Nth degree, with a well done video that is professional and MTV worthy…if MTV was still MTV worthy. They LOOK like they belong. They haven’t changed their aesthetic one iota but the presentation of it is now grade A. The guitar riffs are tighter and more conducive to song construction. Power Strangers doesn’t sound anything like a weekend warrior band, but one with good songwriting, pizzazz and  strong musicians. It’s cool to exist between genres as novelty but when you have tightened up your act, your lane looks official and Shinobi Ninja has done just that. Baby Girl has come into her own as a presence and feels less like a guest star than a co-star of the band. That raises the funk level by leaps and bounds.

The visuals are crazy. Hearts get ripped out,  blood and guts get exposed and there are gorillas. Any video with gorillas gets a win. New artists take note. When you work at you craft you can expect to see significant growth as long as you do the work. Power Strangers is the result. Looking forward to the new project. Peace

Throwback Video: Shinobi Ninja’s first show at BB Kings